1. Field of the Disclosure
The present disclosure relates to a measuring apparatus and measuring method of train wheel wear, and more particularly to a measuring apparatus measuring a train wheel wear using a tachometer and a balise, and a measuring method using the measuring apparatus.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
The information disclosed in this Discussion of the Related Art section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the present disclosure and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.
Train wheels need a periodic replacement due to continuous wear during operation of a train. Thus, a device or a method capable of measuring a periodic wear of a train is required.
In order to measure a train wheel wear in a CBTC (Communication Based Train Control)-based railway signal system, devices such as a camera and a photo sensor have been conventionally used to measure the train wheel wear.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating a configuration of a measuring apparatus of a train wheel wear. Referring to FIG. 1, a measuring apparatus (10) includes cameras (20-1, 20-2), Analogue to Digital Converters (ADCs, 30-1, 30-2), a CPU (Central Processing Unit, 40), a memory (50), a display interface (60), a display unit (70), an input/output interface (80) and a photo sensor (90).
The cameras (20-1, 20-2) function to photograph train wheels passing on a rail. A central position of a light receiving lens of the cameras (20-1, 20-2) photographing a distal end of a flange is aligned with a height of the distal end to allow facing between the distal end and a reference groove, where the camera photographs the train wheels at a contact region with the rail. A dimension of each part expected through the reference groove and a dimension of an image actually photographed are compared to calculate a size of the wheel. Meanwhile, the photo sensor (90) is disposed to reduce an error.
The image photographed by the cameras (20-1, 20-2) is converted to a digital signal by the ADCs (30-1, 30-2). The CPU (40) receives the digital signal to store the signal in the memory (50) or transmit the signal to the display interface (60). The display interface (60) displays the received signal to allow a user to intuitively learn abrasiveness of the wheel. Meanwhile, the apparatus may include input/output interface (80) enabling an input from an outside device (95).
Although the conventional apparatus has an advantage of performing a highly accurate measurement of wheel wears using the cameras, the conventional apparatus suffers from a disadvantage of requiring additional devices such as the cameras (20-1, 20-2) and the photo sensor (90) Furthermore, the cameras (20-1, 20-2) and the photo sensor (90) are too expensive for being disposed on all trains, and durability thereof is not that high.
Another disadvantage is that a mechanical characteristic may be changed due to formation of a reference groove on the train wheel for providing an accurate reference point for installation on the train wheel. Still another disadvantage is that it is difficult to measure the size of the train wheel during train operation, and that use is only possible during maintenance/repair processes for measuring the status of the train wheel.
Thus, there is a need to address the abovementioned disadvantages.